To say that all the cast were good would be a simple understatement. And secondly, I didn't think Pirelli's costume was correct. It looked quite small and insignificant on such a large stage. One, I would have liked a larger ensemble / chorus. I had only two - extremely small - negative criticisms with this show.
However, full credit needs to be given to Shelby Grimswold (Mrs Lovett) for not only getting an English accent, but having an excellent stab at the local London accent too, and it sounded very good indeed. Knowing the musical so well, I did notice a few changes here and there to accommodate the direction, age and sensitivities of cast and potential audience, and action, but it worked well enough and nothing was spoilt because of the changes.Īnd what's more, this was a school in Texas, a state known for it's individual and recognisable accent / drawl and yet everyone on stage tried their hardest, and in most cases succeeded very well, at speaking an English accent - something which Americans are notoriously awful at. The opening chords are played, a high shrill screech from the band and the chorus advance on the audience not inviting us, but forcing us to "attend the tale of Sweeney Todd". Right from the start we are given the impression that this is not going to be a laugh-a-minute farce. A cleverly designed platform with staircases either side sits on the central revolve. The band, all again school students are hidden underneath the minimalist set. It is September 2015, and the cameras point at the stage of the Pearce Theatre in Richardson. Performed by high school students - ie: they can be a maximum of 18 years' old - this was a hugely ambitious undertaking. This, a production by the students of the JJ Pearce High School in Richardson, Texas, of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street" was one such gem.
YouTube is recommending some strange things lately, but in amongst the oddities, there are a few true gems.